Christ Is My Life
Would you open your bibles to the book of Galatians, and follow along with me as I read just one verse. I’d like you to be able to actually look at the verse, so that you can really think about what’s being said. The verse is Galatians chapter 2, verse 20. Here’s what the apostle Paul said in that verse; “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ, living in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.”
Everything that I once lived for.. has been crucified, it’s dead and gone. I don’t live for myself anymore, but I live for Christ, because of what He’s done for me, and because of what He’s given me. Take a look at Jesus Christ, not physically, but take a look at the life that Christ lived; Paul is saying, that’s my life right there. Do you see Jesus? that’s my life. Paul is saying that he has reached a point in his life, where he’s willing to give up everything, including himself, in return for what Christ gave up for him. What did Christ give up for Paul? Christ gave up everything, even His life.
Here’s what it says in Philippians 2, verses 7 & 8; “..But emptied Himself, taking on the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.” That’s what Jesus Christ did for Paul, and that’s what He did for you and me.
Paul had reached the point in his life, where he was willing to give up everything for Christ, so that Christ could live in him. In a way, in a manner of speaking, Paul was giving Jesus back His life, by allowing Jesus to live in him.
Do you think that you’ve reached that point in your life? The point where you, are willing to give up all your desires, in exchange for the desires of your God? Have you reached the point, where you’re willing to let Jesus live in your body? It’s a sacrifice, but sometimes, some things are worth the sacrifice. And maybe that’s what it is; Maybe it’s a matter of Christ becoming “worth it” to us. It’s a matter of Christ becoming “worth” the sacrifice.
Maybe God hasn’t always been, “your life”. Maybe you’ve valued other things, more than Christ. As a matter of fact, I’m quite sure that’s been the case in the past. Maybe that’s an attitude, and a state of mind, that you’ve had to learn. Sometimes we’ve got to learn, what’s really important in life. And then when we finally learn what’s truly important, we MAKE those things our life. Dou see Jesus, well that’s my life right there. That’s the way it was with Paul, and I think that’s the way it is with us.
An Analogy..
Let me give you an analogy. Maybe you’re familiar with Kenney Chesney, the country singer? If you are, then you know that he’s song quite a few, really touching songs. Songs that touch our heart. And so I want to use one of those songs as an analogy of what I think Paul was talking about, when he said; “..It’s no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me.” Paul’s life changed, and he was no longer the most important thing in his life, but someone else was, and that someone, became his life.
Let me read to you some of the words of this song; I think the name of it is, “There Goes My Life.”
All he could think about was, I’m to young for this.
Got my whole life ahead, I’m just a kid, how am I gonna raise one?
All He could see were his dreams going up in smoke, Oh well, those plans are long gone.
And he said; There goes my life, there goes my everything.
But then, after a few years of up all night, and a few thousand diapers later,
That mistake, that he thought he made, it covers up the whole refrigerator.
Oh yeah, he loves that little girl.
Momma’s waiting to tuck her in, as she tumbles up the stairs. She smiles back at him, dragging her teddy bear behind.
He smiles.. And says, there goes my life, there goes my everything.
There’s one more verse..
She had that Honda loaded down, with her Abercrombie clothes, and 15 pairs of shoes, and his American express.
He checked the oil and slammed the hood; You’re good to go he said.
She hugged both mom and dad, and she headed off.
He cried.. There goes my life, there goes my everything.
Our attitudes can sure change. Sometimes, what we thought was “our life”, wasn’t really anything at all. And then we realize what our life really consists of. Love for others, isn’t that what it’s all about? Love for others, and above all, love for God, and for Jesus Christ.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me! And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live in faith; Faith which is in the Son of God, who loved ME, and gave Himself up for me.”
There’s a lot there in that one verse, isn’t there? Have we truly reached that point in our lives, where God, “is our life”? I hope we have. And I hope that our life shows it.
Where Is Your Heart? Where Is Your Treasure?
There’s a verse in Mathew chapter 6, that I’m sure you’re familiar with. It’s verse 21, and it says; “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” That’s only natural isn’t it? The things that you truly treasure in life, are the very things that you really put your heart into.
Many times, we engage ourselves in things, and we put our whole heart into those things. A person, or a couple, might do a house remodel, and they spend all their time on it, and they spend all their money on it, and you might say; They put their heart and soul into it.
And when they’re all done, they really treasure what they’ve done, and they’re proud of what they’ve done. And they treasure what they’ve got, as a result of the work and money that they’ve spent. And what they’ve got is no doubt worth a lot of money. But that’s all it’s worth, just money.
But don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that there’s something wrong with fixing up your house. It’s just a comparison. It’s like what Jesus said in Luke 14, verse 26; “If any man cometh unto Me, and does not hate his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”
Jesus was only making a comparison there. The word “hate” in this verse, (and several versions use that word) it doesn’t mean.. hate, or despise, or detest, like we’re used to thinking, when we hear that word. It’s a word of comparison; It means.. “to love less, by comparison”. In other words, if we don’t love Christ MORE, than we love our mothers and fathers, and if we don’t love Christ MORE, than we love our brothers and sisters, and if we don’t love Him MORE than even ourselves, then we can’t be a disciple of Christ; We can’t be a Christian. A Christian MUST love Jesus Christ, and a Christian MUST love God, MORE, than anyone else, or anything else, in this life.
Jesus said; “Seek FIRST, His kingdom, and His righteousness..” (Mathew 6, verse 33) God must to come first, and God’s commands, must to come first, or we’re just fooling ourselves.
“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. Do you know why people “build” their treasures, in the places that they do? Do you know why people “invest” their money, and their time, in certain areas, and in certain things? It’s because their hearts are already there, in those areas, and in those things. And we’re pretty much all the same. Wherever our hearts are, that’s where we invest our time and money. Isn’t that exactly what that scripture is telling us? Our “treasures” become, the “evidence” of where our hearts are, in the “first” place.
Therefore, because of that fact, and because of that truth, I want to make a suggestion for you. I want to suggest that your try something, that you do something.. Instead of simply allowing your treasure, to reveal, where your heart is.. I want to suggest, that you go ahead and PUT your treasure, in a certain place, and then see if it’s not true, that your heart will follow right along with it.
In other words, turn things around. Instead of having your heart dictate where you put your treasure, how about allowing your treasure, to dictate where your heart goes? Maybe, our hearts aren’t quite “with the Lord”, like they should be. And so as a result, the Lord doesn’t come first. Maybe we’re “investing” and “treasuring up”, far too much time, and exerting far too much effort, on things not at all related to God, His word. And so, how do we “fix” that? How do we get our attention, off of those other things, and get our attention ON God?
It’s the spirit of the devil that makes us pay so much attention to the things of the world, and to not pay enough attention to God. The spirit of the devil is the called “the deceiver”, because it deceives us into thinking that we simply must be involved with the world. We’ve just got to have what the world offers, and we’ve just got to be involved in it.
But what about if we turn THAT around too? What if we “deceive” the “deceiver”? What if you put ALL your time, and ALL your effort, into the kingdom of God, and into His righteousness? You know what you’ll cause to happen? You’ll cause your heart to go there too! That’s right, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” It’s true.
How do you get your heart, more “into” God? Put your treasure into GOD.. Your heart will follow. And you will have “deceived” the “deceiver”. The deceiver thinks that I’m going to be tricked into loving the world so much that I’ll put my treasure into the world; But I’ll show him, I’ll put ALL my time, and ALL my efforts, and all the money that I can possibly afford, into the Lord. I’ll put it ALL there! And I’ll show him where my heart is! As a matter of fact, I’ll show everyone where my heart is!
MAKE Jesus your life. MAKE Jesus your everything. How do you do it? By putting YOUR everything, into Him.
If Jesus walked by, right now, could you truly say; There goes my life, there goes my everything?
(Hymn #386)
